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A quiet, metallic click sounded through the great hall. Lucario wondered if his ears and eyes had gone the same route as the rest of his body, everything seemingly frozen and surprisingly silent. Another click was heard as Silver pulled the trigger once more, harder this time. He growled as he pulled the trigger again and again, leaning his head forward to examine what was happening with the revolver. With each click, his ferocious expression began to dampen. Exhaustion finally setting in, he understood that the battle had been too rough on both him and his delicate piece of equipment.

"Why'd you have to slam it against the wall like that…?" Silver muttered before pulling the muzzle back from between Lucario's eyes, "See? You broke it. You will come to regret that as you slowly bleed out on my floor."

Sighing deeply, Silver sat down next to Lucario. The Pokémon before him lay battered and struggling to breathe, not even making the attempt to lash out anymore. Pride swelled in his chest. Ethan had thought himself safe from his grasp by transforming into a Pokémon, but he had seen through his disguise and finally won.

"How does it feel to finally be the one in the line of fire?" Silver asked with a subdued snicker, "We fought, Pokémon to Pokémon… But all I really wanted was to get you. To see you squirm. To see you in agony. To see you die."

Lucario wished he could give a response, but was currently using all of his strength to keep himself conscious. Looking down on his shoulder and leg, he could not believe how such tiny wounds could cause so much pain. From what he had thought earlier, guns would be useless against Pokémon, their hides too strong to penetrate. Thinking back to what Silver had said, he wondered if revolvers really were that different from guns.

"I no longer know what you are thinking, Ethan," Silver muttered as he crouched over Lucario, taunting him to try and attack, "I have never seen you in such a pitiful state before. Hmpf… I was rather looking forward to hearing your last words. Would you curse me? Would you swear revenge? Would you, I don't know, beat me up and hand me over to the authorities?"

Lucario had no such inhibitions any longer. He wanted to kill him, and would have done so already if he could still fight. He thought about using the Aura Sphere, and Silver's fine suit and torso ending up sharing a big hole. However, Silver sat to his right, and he lacked the power to turn around and shoot it from his left arm. Leading the unbelievably painful aura through what was now an open wound in his right shoulder did not seems like a good idea, lest he wanted to intentionally pass out due to intolerable suffering.

A few more minutes passed before Silver finally stood up.

"… Your death bores me," he grumbled while crossing his arms, "This duel is over. I shall go get this cylinder moving again, and then give a proper end to this rivalry once and for all."

He turned and walked towards a door to the side, Lucario just barely noticing what was happening.

"By all means, feel free to expire in the meantime," Silver said as he walked, a hidden smile crossing his face, "I might have to question the value of this encounter should you end up costing me any more bullets!"

The footsteps disappearing in the distance, Lucario now knew that he was alone. He did not mind it, hoping his rival would take his sweet time so he could recover, play dead and then leap into action once more. However, unlike with any normal wound or screwed up attempt at using the aura, he did not seem to be recovering all too quickly. In fact, the pain was getting stronger by the minute, the cool air already working on infecting his gunshot wounds with all manner of nasty diseases. Alone he lay, quietly realizing that there really was no way of him getting out of this alive.

A long time passed, Lucario going in and out of consciousness and feverish delusion. Somewhere in the distance he heard a gunshot go off, telling him that Silver would be returning quite soon. From feeling like he was going to barf to feeling like he was going to die, the glamorous chandelier above him grew hazy and spun around against the dark ceiling's backdrop. It was then he noticed that something familiar was in the air. For some reason, everything did not seem so bad anymore. He assumed he was feeling the last high before death, the pain faded off as he felt strangely content inside.

Suddenly, a face came into view. Someone was looking down at him. Vision blurry and mind scrambled, Lucario tried to figure out who it was. It was not Silver or Red, the head was too inhuman. It was not Zoroark or Zerobi, the head had no hair. It was not Mew, although the similarities were uncanny. It was the last person he had expected to see at that time.

"Lucario!" Celebi asked with a loud, determined voice and a stern expression Lucario had never seen on her before, "Where is Zerobi?"

"… Zero… Bi…?" Lucario wheezed, realizing he was barely even able to talk anymore, "… With Mew… N-Not here…"

"Not here?" Celebi repeated with her large emerald eyes gleaming upon her shaded yet still hardened face, drifting away from his head for a moment before immediately snapping back in shock, "… You are bleeding! Oh my, are you… Dying!?"

"… Kind… Of…" Lucario muttered and wondered if this was all just a dream. Celebi's expression softened and turned into one of worry as she flew down Lucario's body a bit to examine the wounded leg. Failing to lift his torso and instead deciding to look off to the side, Lucario saw the last person he wanted to see standing by the doorway.

"C-Celebi…!" Lucario stammered as he panicked, but lacked the strength to put any emphasis behind his words, "B-Behind… You…"

"Try not to speak; it is just a human without Pokéballs…" Celebi said confidently after a quick glance, her attention solely focused upon the inexplicable hole in Lucario's leg, "… B-But… What manner of wound is this? What could possibly have-"

A loud bang interrupted her. Faster than an instant, Celebi's barrier was in full force, surrounding every inch of her body while ready to deflect anything.

As the bang trailed off, a nearly soundless squelch whispered through the room. Celebi twitched, the quiet noise frightening her even more than the loud explosion earlier. She could feel that her barrier had been punctuated by something extremely small, so fast she had not even been able to see it. Looking down to see if it had left any trace at all, she noticed a patch of crimson red expanding over her stomach, like a rose opening itself in the sunlight.

"Dange… Rous…" Lucario wheezed, but he already knew it was too late. Celebi remained soaring but completely froze up, not moving and not even breathing. The unfamiliar sensation of pain wracked her body, leaving her confused and disoriented. Her blood dripped down and landed on the bottom of her bubble-like barrier, forming a tiny puddle of red hanging in midair.

"Too little, too late, Celebi… I have no interest in you anymore," Silver said bitter as he suddenly started laughing, "Hahaha! Both of you can go to hell together, Ethan!"

Silver began to circle them as he examined the still legendary from every angle. Lucario's consciousness had nearly faded to nothing, but he was still aware enough to realize that Celebi's life was ebbing away with every passing second. Shaking with unbridled wrath, he felt his facial features tighten in fury. Teeth gritting so hard his jaws were beginning to tire, he squeezed every last ounce of strength from his weary muscles. Thanks to the pleasant feelings Celebi's aura was giving him, he was able to ignore the pain caused by his own aura carelessly moving through his left arm. The mitochondria were just barely under his control, as if they all have developed a will of their own. Millions of tiny organism, rushing through his arm towards certain demise, all willing to give their lives for one single cause: Killing Silver.

"Lead… The… Way…!" Lucario growled as he opened up his palm and pointed it towards the tall, blurry figure to his left, letting Aura Sphere fly out of him with a pained shout. Silver choked on his laughter as the blue ball of fire flew past him, not even a full decimeter away from his right arm. It crashed into the wall and exploded, Silver finally realizing what had happened as the startling sound threw him off his feet.

"When… When did you learn to…" Silver stammered, beads of sweat forming all over his body. Clutching his right arm, he realized the sphere had been just close enough to give him a taste of the blue fire, the crippling pain coursing through him and almost making him drop the revolver. Internally he planned on shooting with only one hand, but something stopped him dead in his tracks. The gaze Lucario was giving was not one he had ever seen before. It was of murderous, feral rage, every trace of the Ethan he knew long gone from his face.

"… Damn!" Silver shouted as he ran for the door. He now knew that the Aura Sphere had not been meant to disarm him or simply incapacitate him, but rather to outright kill him. He swallowed loudly, realizing that it had almost worked. In a million years, he could never have predicted that the goody two-shoes Ethan would ever actually want to kill someone. Wondering what had changed his rival, and even if he actually had been eating dinner with a mindless beast all this time, Silver quickly disappeared beyond the doorway.

Lucario fell limp, now so out of things that he was not even sure if he had missed. All he knew was that it did not matter anymore. His final Aura Sphere had drained every last resemblance of effort left in him as the room began swirling around. He felt his senses weaken as his body started shutting down. Biting down on his lower lip to the point where blood was coming out, he fought with all his might to stay awake, well aware the only thing awaiting him at the end of this naptime was death.

Suddenly, there was a quiet clinging noise on the ground next to him. Looking to the side, he saw a very small metallic item, something that was even smaller than a button and a coin. To his utter surprise, the object suddenly lifted off the ground and actually fell upwards. There, a hazy green figure took hold of it, and reached out towards him as well.

"You can sleep now," Celebi said quietly, a patch of red on her torso visible even to Lucario's blurred eyesight, "I will handle the rest."

"No. You will be alright," Celebi explained as she placed her hand over where Lucario was biting down, "But if this operation is to be half as painful for you as it was for me… I highly suggest you sleep through it."

Lucario felt his jaws relax at Celebi's gentle touch, his teeth withdrawing from his bloodied lips. With no more immediate stimuli for his brain to register, he felt it finally give in. In the back of his mind he felt a twinge of his earlier mistrust of Celebi, but gave up when he realized there was absolutely nothing he could do about it. He faintly recognized his body soaring out the window before finally fainting.

When he woke up, he was outside. It was night, yet his vision had returned to the point where he could easily see Celebi sitting to the side and watching over him. She smiled as he looked at her, trying to get up as an unfamiliar ache lingered in his shoulder.

"Could have been worse," Celebi pointed out with a voice that sounded more relieved than concerned, "Those metallic objects simply passed through you. I was forced to extract mine!"

"That 'metallic object' is called a 'bullet'…" Lucario mumbled as he looked down at his leg, seeing a new scar where there had been a hole not long ago, "… And you should know to keep a barrier up at all times, especially when I'm lying half dead on the floor!"

"… But I did," Celebi replied while slowly shaking her head, "I can stop a punch or a kick with ease, but that… 'Bullet'… It was ten times as fast, a hundred times smaller and a thousand times less predictable!"

Trying to move his leg, Lucario realized something felt a bit off. While he could use it unlike right after getting shot, it was not quite the same as it had been before. It felt similar to when Celebi had patched up his throat, a strange sensation of unfamiliarity that had yet to leave him.

"If these 'bullets' had struck our heads and penetrated our skulls…" Celebi said while closing her eyes and lowering her head, "… Not even I would have been able to do anything. We would most certainly have…"

Celebi said nothing after that, but Lucario could tell that she was even more shaken than he was. He remembered that she had been captured last year, and getting close to dying so soon after was probably not something a legendary like her was used to. He was actually rather amazed that she had managed to remain calm enough to extract a bullet from herself, wondering just how much experience she had with handling pain.

"Lucario…" Celebi asked quietly as she suddenly turned her head up and stared him, "Why did that man call you Ethan?"

"Huh? Ah, I thought Mew had told you," Lucario exclaimed, trying to recall just how much Celebi knew. From what he remembered, telling her that he was human was the reason he was able to find Mew in the first place, so he assumed there was but one detail left to fill her in on.

"That's the human I used to be before turning into a Pokémon," Lucario explained with pride while pointing his thumb at his chest, "That's right! I'm the greatest trainer of all time, Ethan!"

"Wh-What!?" Celebi exclaimed almost immediately, "But… Are… You must be joking!"

Lucario looked at her curiously, Celebi clearly surprised and trying to make sense out of what she had just heard.

"But that time in Ilex Forest, when we…" Celebi asked, before stopping herself and thinking a little longer, "… You… You don't remember, do you…?"

"Nothing about Pokémon like you, I'm afraid," Lucario replied, now his turn to be surprised, "What? Did we meet, or something?"

"Well… Not exactly…" Celebi whispered while wondering if their peculiar encounter would actually qualify as a meeting. The fact that Lucario was once the famous trainer Ethan did not bother her, but the idea that Ethan had lost his memory and become a Pokémon was an entirely different story. During her battle with Pikablu, to prove her selflessness she had told him about a human she helped out, which he claimed was not worth of mention. Apparently he had been right, seeing how not even the human remembered it happening.

"It was a few years ago… Nothing important…" Celebi said with a low sigh, realizing her good deed had gone completely unnoticed and beginning to revaluing her past. Lucario had no idea why she suddenly became quiet, trying to think of a way to break the awkward silence and stop Celebi from letting her thoughts drift away any further.

"By the way, thanks for healing me," Lucario said, taking special care not to use the word 'helping' as he felt that he had handled Silver on his own, "Wouldn't have minded you coming a few minutes sooner, but… Why are you here? How did you find me?"

"… Your pants still have my aura in them. I was able to sense them all the way from Viridian Forest…" Celebi explained as suddenly remembered why she had come in the first place. Between finding Lucario dying, Zerobi lost, getting shot and realizing the Ethan she had met was no more, she had somehow forgotten.

"Truth is, I came to speak with my sister," Celebi said while increasing her mental fortitude for what was to come, "… How is she…?"

"Hopefully doing better than we are," Lucario mumbled while wondering if Zerobi had even made it out of No Man's Land successfully, "What? Is something wrong?"

"Probably not…" Celebi whispered with a slightly disgusted expression, akin to if she had just bit down on something sour, "Most likely just Pikablu trying to rile me up over nothing. He is rather good at that…"

"Uh… Yeah…" Lucario muttered, vividly remembering the yellow rat's flurry of curse words back when they thought Celebi had been brainwashed, "Come on, try to pick up Mew's aura and I'll explain what happened to us."

Celebi nodded as the two of them began moving. She could feel that Mew was fairly close, so there was no need for her to hide under a cloak for now. Not only that, but Lucario seemed to have a bit of trouble walking on his currently healing leg, so she figured the added weight of her body would not be appreciated. Floating next to Lucario, she listened to him explaining what had happened and kept quiet, not willing to burden him with what she herself had heard before coming here. She had no arguments over moving at Lucario's slow pace, constantly fretting over what they would find when they finally reached Zerobi.

Despite relishing in the newly discovered feelings of a long sleep and a big healthy meal, Lucario was exhausted. He had traveled with a hurt body before, but normally his legs would have escaped grave damage in what he assumed was a simple stroke of luck. Such was not the case with the gunshot wound currently adorning the spot right above his kneecap, which even after Celebi's efficient healing required some time on its own to be fully restored. If not for the fact that Mew's aura grew clearer with each mile he forced himself through, he would be taking breaks far more frequently. However, even with a clear goal in mind, he was not sure of how long he could keep up with the eager Celebi, who seemed to be speeding up ever so slightly when he wasn't looking.

Lucario gasped hard, drawing in the humid air around him. A dense fog had fallen, turning the once colorful plains into a grey, dull and ominous landscape. Celebi seemed unusually pleased with it, claiming that it would make it more difficult for her to be seen by anyone, all while giving the plant life enough moisture to last them until the end of the season. Not certain of the extent of her powers, Lucario guessed that she was the one responsible for the mist and was simply boasting about her creation.

Suddenly, an imposing figure appeared in the fog. Thinking that Lugia, Rayquaza or someone of equal stature had come to ruin his day once more, Lucario eventually realized that he was looking at a simple bluff, a large rock clashing very poorly with the otherwise unremarkable fields. Even in his clouded vision, he felt like it reminded him of somewhere he had been before, not sure of exactly when. What grabbed his attention the most was the rock shelter, hidden in the mist.

"Haah… That cave seems like… A good resting place…" Lucario panted, looking back at Celebi. Unlike Mew who was positively glowing against nearly every backdrop, she had blended in perfectly with the haze and grass, appearing to be a hovering plant rather than a legendary Pokémon. However, by now he had become rather good at recognizing her, and had no problem picking up the annoyed expression she took on at his request.

"Again!?" Celebi burst out with stress apparent both in her voice and across her features, "This is the fourth time! Nightfall is still hours away, and we are nowhere near sis and Mew!"

"Excuse ME for only wandering a few miles after getting shot in the leg!" Lucario snapped back while pointing his finger accusingly, "In fact, you're the one who told me I needed rest!"

"Indeed - Which is why I once again urge you to stay behind!" Celebi pleaded and put her hands together, "Please, it is of vital importance that I speak with sis as quickly as possible!"

"Same as with Mew and I, then," Lucario insisted stubbornly, "Do you know how far I went just to talk to her? Plus, I'm not letting you hog any of the glory for defeating Giovanni."

"Who?" Celebi asked as she calmed down, trying to remember how she had been coerced into moving at such a slow pace in the first place.

"Precisely," Lucario replied with a quick nod, "And if anyone asks, you ONLY healed me afterwards and played no part in fighting him!"

"… What difference does that make?" Celebi asked curiously. She often had trouble understanding Lucario's way of thinking, and found it ironic that she was the one asking the amnesiac all the questions.

"Let's just say, my track record's not looking too good right now," Lucario mumbled as he closed his eyes and scratched the side of his head in annoyance, "I keep getting my hide pulled out of the fire by someone… Or something. I mean, I'm grateful… It beats dying… But this victory's mine. I rightfully earned it!"

"I see…" Celebi sighed, realizing that the Gallade was not the only one she knew who had a prominent ego, "… The sad truth is, I doubt anyone will be impressed with your feats of defeating a human who was not even using any Pokémon."

Lucario shrugged as he lowered his head, silently walking towards the cave with a gaunt expression. Celebi suddenly felt ashamed. Just because personal glory was not important to her, did it give her the right to belittle those who sought it? What she cared about might not interest him at all, but that still did not make it worthless in her eyes.

"But still… You protected me," Celebi said confidently as she slowly followed him, "That must count for something, no?"

"Hmpf…" Lucario huffed as he walked into the cave, trying to convince himself that his efforts had not been in vain. Relieved to see that the cave was empty, he was about to lie down and immediately go to sleep when he suddenly noticed a subtle smell in the air. It was something familiar, something like putting on an old jacket that had not been washed for decades.

"… You!?" a voice suddenly sounded above. Looking up in surprise, he saw a black figure let go of the ceiling as it gracefully landed right in front of him. Some of the mist had seeped into the dark insides of the cave, but Lucario had no problem recognizing the fiery red top of the creature, reflecting slightly upon the dull silver of its sharp claws.

"Lucario! You're alright!" Zerobi shouted happily, "Man, I had you taken for dead after I saw Raikou running by!"

"Really?" Lucario responded cooly, a big smile creeping up on his face, "Why're you here, then? Mounting a rescue operation, or were you just planning on retrieving my body?"

She moved to hug him, before suddenly hesitating and stopping herself.

"You…" Zerobi said as her eyes drifted upwards and her expression darkened, "… Have a hole in your ear?"

Instinctively grabbing his ears, Lucario suddenly realized the hole left from one of Silver's bullets was still there. He had not been feeling any pain from it, and thus had completely neglected to check up on it.

"C-Celebi…?" Lucario stuttered with a scared tone to his voice as he turned around, "I-It'll grow back, right…?"

"Of course it will!" Celebi assured him, the small legendary coming up from behind and into Zerobi's vision. At the sight of her smiling sister, all of her mental preparations broke as she found herself completely speechless.

"Yeah, she's the one who saved…" Lucario started, cutting himself off as he crossed his arms, "… I mean, she ran into me while I was busy beating up an old rival."

"Nice," Zerobi said with a nod, still looking at Celebi, "How'd you know he had been captured?"

"I… I did not," Celebi forced a response out of herself, "I simply followed his aura to find… You."

"Well, looks like it worked… Somehow!" Zerobi exclaimed cheerfully, turning to the side and beckoning them to follow, "Come on, let's go deeper inside, wouldn't do to have someone come in and crash the party!"

"Wait… Where's Mew?" Lucario asked as he looked around, a hint of disappointment crossing his face.

"Training," Zerobi responded with a smile, overjoyed to finally have company other than the pink legendary, "She's started to regain her powers, and is practicing flying and all that. She said she'd be back by night."

The three of them went deeper inside, Zerobi's smile never fading. She had expected to go through hell to get Lucario back, but had instead found both him and her sister alright. As bad as things had seemed after No Man's Land, she finally felt that things were turning alright once more.

They sat down, Lucario telling Zerobi about what had happened. Celebi remained completely silent and did not seem to be listening, presumably thinking about something else since he had already told her everything. He decided to leave out the parts regarding Zoroark's true gender, not because it was secret but mostly because he did not want to admit to groping someone next to two women fully capable of making mincemeat out of him.

"… And then, I suggested we rest here in this cave…" Lucario explained as he exhaled, "… Well, you know the rest. What happened to you two after you got out of No Man's Land?"

"Huh?" Lucario exclaimed, not even having thought of the possibility until now, "After all I went thought to stay behind and let you escape!?"

"I thought you said you just weren't fast enough to outrun Zoroark," Zerobi responded while shrugging, "Anyway, moving around in the open with a seemingly dead legendary's not as subtle as you'd think… I need less reasons for the police to hunt me, not more!"

"Personally, I'd take the police over Raikou any day of the week…" Lucario muttered, twitching at the mere thought of electricity while wishing all his enemies were as weak as the four Mienfoo he trashed.

"Great minds think alike," Zerobi snickered, "I, uh, froze together a bunch of leaves and branches to cover her up, and told Pokémon passing by not to disturb my baby."

"Hahaha!" Lucario started laughing, Celebi suddenly snapping out of her trance and giving him a startled look, "No way! That actually worked!?"

"Almost," Zerobi answered with a confident smile, "Covering up her enormous tail was impossible, so one guy I ran into got curious as to how I was able to carrying around a Ditto like this."

"A Ditto?" Lucario repeated, surprised to hear there was another Pokémon with a tail like Mew's, "What happened?"

"Heheh…" Zerobi snickered as she thought back, "Let's just say, right now his headache's probably worse than mine."

"Argh, I'd kill for a nothing but a headache right about now…" Lucario muttered as the pain in his shoulder flared up once more, "You should've seen it! I was bleeding from my shoulder, which I couldn't move… And my leg, which I couldn't stand on! I swear, the blood was flowing out of me like a river! A miracle I didn't faint immediately!"

"Nah, you can actually lose tons of blood and still keep going for a while," Zerobi explained, trying to dismiss the thought of Lucario nearly dying again. She had promised herself to try and not worry so much about things any longer, and simply enjoy life for once.

"… Man, how do you know all this stuff?" Lucario asked, Zerobi clamming up as she realized she had accidentally drawn experience from her sordid past. She could not help but notice that Celebi was staring at her very intently, and she tried to think of a way to shift the subject.

"Well, uh…" Zerobi mumbled, "I went to school and got an education, you know. Battle Training… Type Recognition…"

A waft rushed through the small cavern as Zerobi inhaled, the frightening words ringing in her ears. She could not help but stare, completely frozen in shock. Celebi forced herself to look back, even though she was witnessing the absolutely last thing she wanted to see at that moment. She silently begged Zerobi, pleaded with her to look confused or shake her head in denial… To do anything but stare at her with quiet, horrified understanding.

Zerobi and Celebi stared at each other, both their worst fears becoming realized in the same instant. Even so, neither of them could bring themselves to grasp the gravity of the situation. Many times Zerobi had tried to envision the day when her lies would be unraveled, each time coming to the same inevitable conclusion. She knew there was no way she could ever justify her actions, and that the life she had tried so hard to reclaim was finally coming to an end.

"So… It is true…" Celebi whispered slowly, cursing herself for ever having doubted Pikablu and her own fears. She felt like such a fool, having thought there had been a misunderstanding, unable to comprehend that one of her own flesh and blood could be so evil. She stared down at the ground, and Zerobi followed her gaze with longing.

"Sis…" Zerobi whispered, getting to her feet. Instantly, Celebi snapped her head up and flew back.

"… No!" Celebi snarled angrily, stems fluttering wildly on her head in a display of rage she rarely showed, "You are not my sister! No sister of mine could ever do such things!"

Zerobi flinched and trembled slightly. She had never heard Celebi using such a harsh tone before, and her demeanor was completely different from the nurturing nature she had come to know so well. Her sister's hateful eyes were sucking all the air out of her lungs and she felt like she could pass out at any moment.

A twinge of guilt struck Celebi, her instincts kicking in as she saw how much Zerobi was hurting. It was overshadowed by the unimaginable pain that the past year had been but an illusion, a lie brought about by her own selfish wish for a sibling. She had worked so hard to be nice to someone who would did not think twice about gutting everyone she knew and loved. Putting a hand to her chest, she felt like her heart was being cut through with sharp razors.

"… All my life… I searched for you… Dreamed of you…" Celebi whispered slowly as to get control of her shallow breathing, "… I was prepared to forgive anything… But this…? How can I…?"

"Hey, now!" Lucario interjected as he suddenly stood up, reminding the two sisters that they were not alone, "What's going on!? I thought it was a joke, or something!"

"You…" Celebi said accusingly as she turned her head towards Lucario, suddenly remembering who had brought Zerobi to her in the first place, "Did you know about this?"

"Know about what?" Lucario replied hastily. The aura of happiness normally exuding from Celebi was all but gone, crushed by the heavy atmosphere. He looked at Zerobi, a panicked expression across her face warning him from making further inquisitions.

"All that death… All that blood…" Celebi croaked breathlessly, bracing herself for his answer as she was not certain she could take being betrayed by both him and her sister all in one night. Lucario stared at her with confusion, suddenly recalling the time Zerobi had nearly killed him and that they had hidden the reason behind it.

"Oh…" Lucario muttered, "Well, yeah. Look, we were going to tell you, but it didn't seem like the right time back then. But it's OK! She said she was sorry, and I already forgave her."

"SORRY!?" Celebi suddenly burst out, her great emerald eyes flaring dangerously as she flew up to his face, "You think… 'Sorry' is enough to compensate for what she's done!?"

Lucario recoiled back as Celebi felt her insides boil in frustration, remembering the vivid details that Pikablu had told her about the bloodbath beyond the walls of the Cerulean Cave. She had refused to believe every single one of them at first, but the longer Zerobi's silence and otherwise unwarranted shock went on, the more she began to accept the truth.

"It… It was long ago…" Zerobi whispered in what even she knew was a feeble attempt to defend herself. Looking down, she already knew there was no hope for things to go back to what they were. Never again would she experience the way life was meant to be.

"Have the people whose lives you stole recovered!?" Celebi clamored with disgust, the words out of Zerobi's mouth suddenly revolting and appalling in her ears, "And… Long ago!? You slit Lucario's throat just a few months back! He would have died if not for me!"

"Uh…" Lucario stammered, raising a finger yet being unable to disagree. He wanted to support Zerobi who seemed to be on the verge of crying, but had no idea what to say or do. They were all quiet for a few moments, Zerobi staring into the ground and wishing she could just run away and disappear forever.

"Long ago, I accidentally became responsible for the death of someone, and had to pay dearly for it…" Celebi said, staring intently at Zerobi while feeling like she could explode from all the loathing gradually building up, "… But you… Here you are… Laughing and smiling, eating and sleeping while safe from harm under my care…"

Conflict raged within Celebi, the small legendary torn on what to do. The only thing clear was that she never wanted to see her wicked sister again, already feeling herself become completely engulfed in hatred. Letting Zerobi run seemed like the obvious choice, but as murderous and dangerous as her sister was, she thought she might come to regret it. Picturing the terrified faces of the children as they were kidnapped and murdered for Zerobi's own selfish wishes, she could not bear the thought of such an evil monster escaping unpunished.

"What have I done…? What possessed me when I put all my trust in you…?" Celebi whispered, putting her face in her hands as unimaginable grief washed over her, "The way you would lie awake at night, watching me… You were just waiting for the right time to betray me, and… A-And…"

Zerobi grit her teeth and looked up as Celebi suddenly stopped talking. The green sprout's mouth was open, but no words were leaving them. Her breathing came in harder, and she seemed like she was experiencing horrors from beyond this world. Slow as a glacier, Celebi's head began turning towards her. Her expression was not one of care, but one of complete and utter despair.

"Y-You… You were thinking of killing me, too…?" Celebi asked with a shaky voice, tears visible in the corner of her eyes. She looked at Zerobi with pleading eyes, requesting a sliver of mercy from the being she had once referred to as family. However, Zerobi already knew everything was over and could not comply, quietly turning her head away in shame.

In that instant, Celebi felt her mind crack, her last defenses finally breaking down as she started crying. Her only sister, the one person she had decided to trust fully was an unrepentant killer. All the years she had spent searching, all the effort she had put in, it had all been for nothing.

"H-Hey…" Lucario exclaimed as he reached a hand towards Celebi, but he was completely ignored as her furious eyes fastened upon Zerobi.

"Who… What are you!?" Celebi yelled, tears streaming down her face, "Why did you pretend to be my sister!?"

"… What're you talking about…?" Zerobi muttered as a twitch of annoyance run through her features, "Of course I'm your sister…"

"No!" Celebi insisted while shaking her head in protest, "A monster like you cannot possibly be my sister!"

"I SAID, OF COURSE I'M YOUR SISTER!" Zerobi suddenly burst out with all her might, standing up and throwing her hands to the side, "THAT'S WHY MY ENTIRE LIFE'S SCREWED UP IN THE FIRST PLACE!"

Celebi choked in surprise, instantly becoming quiet as Lucario inhaled sharply. Zerobi looked at the two of them, the pent up frustration of having been judged for so long coming out all at once.

"You think… You think I WANTED any of this…!?" Zerobi snarled, clutching her hands so hard she was certain her claws would break at any moment, "I was just a normal kid growing up and having fun when suddenly that bloody curse kicked in and completely ruined my life!"

She thought back to her days at school, how much fun she would have hanging out with Eve and reading occult magazines. Just a few years later, and she remembered working hard every day to drag people into the back of the cavern to kill them, all while keeping up a painful charade of being normal to everyone else.

"I… I couldn't control it. How could I? I didn't even know what the hell it was since no one was there to explain…" Zerobi stuttered as she stared feverishly at her claws, before turning her vision up and placing it firmly on Celebi, "… Where the hell were YOU!? Without any warning or support I had to deal with an unexplainable disease on my own, and you BLAME me for failing!?"

Once more she was there. Overpowered by a feral Kadabra, deep inside a cave where no one would ever find or help her. Refusing to submit and attempting one last gambit to save herself from rape and death. The unbelievable sensation as her hated claws pierced the hated flesh of the hated Pokémon, every moment like a million lifetimes of pleasure.

But then, she was another place. Reading the same magazines over and over, deep inside a cave where no one would ever find or help her. Refusing to submit and secluded from the world to save herself from prison and execution. The endless wait as her hated claws demanded to once more pierce the innocent flesh of her beloved friends, every moment like a million lifetimes of regret.

"And… And… Remorseless!?" Zerobi growled as she pointed at Celebi, who seemed to be completely paralyzed in shock at this point, "I was brutalized to death TWICE and spent the last seven years isolated from society, hiding myself and selflessly helping random people and Pokémon in the hopes of one day being able to cope with a mistake that wasn't even my fault to begin with! It… IT WAS YOUR FAULT!"

Zerobi knew she was not in control of herself. She knew she would never be. A sample of a random Garchomp's blood was all it took for her to instantly murder the only person who had cared for her in seven years. It was only a matter of time before she would finish the job, and end the lives of everyone she knew. A defeated sigh escaped her lips as she closed her eyes, knowing what had to be done.

"You told me yourself… You greedily sucked up all our mother's powers and left me with nothing remaining…" Zerobi muttered bitterly while giving off a shrug, "You lived your life among the legendries with untold supernatural abilities, while I was tossed to the common folk and forced to deal with this curse…"

Zerobi took a step towards Celebi, the small legendary now shaking in fear of what was to come.

"… And finally you look me up, and what did I get for staying alive all this time?" Zerobi spat as she looked Celebi deep in the eye, "… A smug, worthless sister who can't even accept me for what I am… What she made me…"

Celebi could not respond, her mind panicking. In her large emerald eyes, Zerobi could see the reflection of herself. She looked vicious and angry, spewing out hate at someone who had once cared for her so much. She felt like her heart was about to stop when she realized that she had blamed Celebi, when it was she who had committed atrocities and lied about it. It was her fault. It was always her fault.

"… I…" Zerobi exclaimed as she came down from her adrenaline boost, mouth agape as she stared at her terrified sister. Her insides aching in sadness, she immediately took a step back and turned away.

"… D-Didn't want it to end…" she whispered breathlessly as she felt a lump form in her throat, "… Not like this…"

She wanted to say goodbye, but could not bring herself to it. It was not the real her they had come to accept and befriend, but rather a role she had played. A regular Weavile girl with a background marred by bad grades and unfulfilled romances instead of megalomania and gruesome murders. To say farewell would have no meaning, because this was their first and last meeting.

Without another word, she ran out of the cave. Lucario gasped as he stood up, throwing a glance at Celebi while trying to decide on what to do. The small legendary sat still and stared at where Zerobi had disappeared, her anguished expression remaining unchanged. Without really thinking, he also began to run, moving out of the cave.

The mist was heavy in the air, giving a white sheen to the deep, dark night. Lucario could barely see anything, and not being able to sense Zerobi's aura he began to panic.

"Wait, don't go!" Lucario shouted, but stopped himself when he saw a figure standing right in front of him. Turning around, Zerobi faced him with a nasty glare.

"What?" she asked bluntly, already past the breaking point of how much abuse she could withstand. She hoped that by intimidating Lucario, she would at long last be left alone.

"If you're thinking about killing yourself again-" Lucario said as he put his hand on her shoulder. She quickly shrugged it off with her arm, and he protected his throat in reflex.

"Shut up!" Zerobi hissed as she took a step back, the violent expression fading from her face, "I'm going home."

"… What?" Lucario asked, carefully lowering his hands.

"I'm going home to my cave where I can lie around and read magazines all day," Zerobi said with a bitter sigh before looking up at the sky, "… I knew there was nothing for me out here. I knew no one would ever accept me, or what I've done."

"Oh, would you two stop overreacting already!?" Lucario shouted while slapping his forehead, "You barely even nicked my throat! I forgave you, what else could possibly matter!?"

"Of course! What else could you have been talking about!?" Lucario yelled, only now realizing that things might be worse than he thought.

"You infuriating fool!" Zerobi screamed in disbelief, beside herself with pent up aggression, "How can someone as naďve as you even exist!?"

Staring at Lucario's confused expression, she wondered just how deep in denial he was. It's not every day your friend turns out to be a serial killer. Forcing herself to calm down, she knew he would come to understand the truth eventually, from Celebi or just about anyone else she's known. She was already past the point of no return, why put in the effort of lying?

"The real me…" Zerobi whispered as she involuntarily shivered and crossed her arms, placing her claws on her shoulders, "… Worse than you could ever imagine…"

A pang of regret hit her as she turned her sight away from Lucario's eyes, knowing what she was about to say would separate them forever. She pushed away all her wishes, hopes and dreams for what could have been between them and took a deep breath in preparation for what was to come.

"Seven… No, eight years ago… With these claws, I wrought hell upon earth!" Zerobi said loudly as she held her claws in front of her. Lucario stared down at them, the memory of his own blood adorning them suddenly clearer than ever.

"… And I loved it! I lured children into my cave where I slowly cut them to pieces!" Zerobi shouted, a ruthless expression across her face, "Fifty? Easily more than fifty! They begged for their pathetic little lives while I relished in pleasure, bathing in their blood and torturing them to death!"

Suddenly, Lucario's facial features tightened, and as did his left fist. He began to grit his teeth as Zerobi smiled sinisterly, feeling strangely relieved at finally admitting her crimes while not caring about the consequences.

"You should've trusted me a little longer; I would've shown you firsthand what I'm talking about!" Zerobi continued as she began walking towards him with clawed fingers clacking together in a menacing display, "All this time, I've thought about killing you in your sleep so I could rummage around in a pool of your blood! All this time, I've wanted to hear you cry in pain as I dismember and eviscerate you! All this time, I-"

Shaking with rage and disgust, Lucario let his left fist fly out, punching Zerobi right across the face. He barely even noticed his knuckles cutting open on one of her fangs, the dark-type flying back from the force of the attack. Zerobi fell hard on the ground, dazed but all too aware of what had happened. As much as her head hurt, it felt more like the blow had been directed to her heart, threatening to shatter into a thousand pieces. Her mind sunk into depths she didn't even know existed, and only then did she realize that everything she had come to enjoy in life was truly over.

"C… Come on, snap out of it already…" Lucario said shakily, breathing hard to try and get himself under control, "… You're going hysterical, lying your head off…"

"Lying…!?" Zerobi repeated as her irritation returned in full force, leaning forward on her trembling elbows, "It's the only truth I've ever told, you goddamn idiot! I'm a heartless killer; everything else has been a lie!"

"Don't flatter yourself," Lucario replied quickly, making an effort to keep his voice calmer than he himself was, "I haven't seen you kill a damn thing since I met you. On the contrary, you whine and moan at the idea of harming anyone!"

Zerobi looked at him with anger and betrayal, suddenly realizing that their roles had been reversed somehow. Lucario was the one who punched her, he should not be the one acting calm and defending her. As the adrenaline and fury seeped out of her, all that remained was a mixture of sorrow and regret. Looking up at Lucario's solemn face, she wished for nothing more but to go back to the way things were.

"… You lied when you said that you've wanted me dead all this time…" Lucario explained as he examined his left fist, a small trickle of blood running down his wrist, "Because if that were true, I would not be standing here now."

"Thinking about it and doing it are two very different things…" Lucario muttered while looking at Zerobi with a sadden expression, "Hell, if I acted on everything that entered my head… You probably wouldn't be here, either."

"No… Lucario, you don't… You don't understand…" Zerobi stammered, unable to comprehend why he was acting this way. Even her best friend Eve had shown no hesitation in letting her die, and so she had always expected to be beaten or even killed should the truth of what she had done come out. Instead, Lucario was just standing there, calmly talking to her. The seemingly impossible situation got to her more than anything else, her eyes tearing up and her breathing becoming labored.

"Y-You're putting your faith in p-pure evil…" Zerobi stuttered, feeling her insides twist and turn at the thought of what she had done, "I k-killed ch-children… The cute, the friendly, the innocent, it didn't matter… I killed them all…"

"Well… Eight years ago," Lucario said with a shrug, "Why should I care if you're not planning on doing it again? You've spent every day since then being good… What more could anyone ask for?"

Lying on the ground and shaking, Zerobi stared at him with utter confusion and despair. For a moment, her eyes fluttered across the blood dripping from Lucario's fist, an action that did not pass his notice. Sighing to himself, he knew there was only one way he could be certain that he was doing the right thing.

"But… Yeah, you're right," Lucario muttered while scratching the side of his head, "If we're going to do this, it'd all be for nothing if you decide to kill me in my sleep a year or two down the road."

Turning around, he presented his back to Zerobi, crossing his arms in determination.

"Might as well kill me now, if that's your plan," he said before exhaling, "Go ahead."

Zerobi looked up, then slowly stood up. Reminding herself of just how badly everything had gone down, she realized that everything really was over, no matter how things seemed. Eventually Lucario would come to his senses and abandon her. Celebi's state of shock would not last forever, and she foresaw the day when the legendary would be forced to pass down judgment for her own sanity's sake. Now, she was finally given the opportunity she had dreamed of for so long, and would never get it again. It was penultimate dream she had longed for, but it was better than nothing but an empty existence of shame and regret. Reading herself, she lounged forward.

In the very last second Lucario turned around, but it was already too late. Zerobi dove into him, her lethal claws plunging forward in a hook-like motion, the feel of Lucario's warm flesh grazing their edges. The point of no return had already been crossed, but she knew this would seal the passage back forever. She kept telling herself that this is what she had always longed for, dreamed of as she fully abandoned all restrains and gave in to her greatest desire.

"Why… Why are you like this…!?" Zerobi sobbed as she shoved her face into Lucario's chest and started crying, "I… I don't… Deserve this…"

Lucario stood frozen, unable to react in shock. For a moment he had thought he was going to die, but such was not the case as he could feel the sharp claws hanging idly by his side, lightly gripping at him. Looking down, he saw Zerobi's head nestled within his bushy chest hair, hiding her face in shame as she could not stop the tears from coming. Lucario sighed out in relief, and then put his right arm around her.

"Hey, hey… You don't get to break us up on your own," he said quietly, his throat suddenly feeling dried up and sore, "That's my decision too, and I've got reasons to be with you."

Zerobi tried to stifle her weeping, but to no avail. She was letting it all out, and Lucario knew the time was right for him to lighten his own load.

"… The first Pokémon I ever met…" Lucario muttered while thinking back to his days with Ivy, "She looked after me, even took care of me. I was disoriented and uninformed, but she supported me as best she could. I… Really felt like I could trust her."

Zerobi looked up at him, her normally proud expression devastated with reddened eyes and sorrow. She seemed to be listening closely as Lucario felt his face heat up for some reason, clearing his throat.

"But when push came to shove… All that was for nothing, and she tried to kill me…" Lucario explained bitterly as he shook his head, "Everything we had experienced in the past… It didn't matter, because in the end she had not come to rely on me as much as I had come to rely on her. I was just a nuisance for her to get rid of."

He looked up at the sky, still obscured by a thick fog. It reminded him of the snowstorm that had raged the day he first met Zerobi. She had been so mysterious back then, swooping in to break him out of an icy death at the hands of Suicune and Brendan, only wanting to find out what was happening before accidentally becoming a target herself. Her motivation and goal in life had never been quite clear to Lucario, at least not until now. Leaning against him in tears and helplessness, he felt he finally knew all there was to know about her, and was glad that he had not made the wrong choice.

"When… After we woke up from nearly getting killed by those legendary dogs and you were still there, I felt so relieved…" Lucario whispered before stopping himself for a moment, "… I mean, no, I was hurt and it sucked… But just the thought that I'd finally found someone who would stay, even after something like that…"

"Moron…" Zerobi croaked, having stopped crying but still visibly shaking, "That was… My home… Where else… Would I go…?"

"… Well, since then you and I have been in more life-or-death situations than I could count up, and you've come through each time," Lucario said as he pat her on the head a few times in quick succession, "You are the only one I can trust. Eight years ago? Probably not. Now? Definitively."

A long period of silence followed, neither of them knowing what to say. As much as Lucario wanted to be with Zerobi, he had a feeling things would never be the same after this, especially not considering Celebi's reaction. Zerobi did not mind the silence, getting a chance to snuggle up against Lucario's chest which now seemed warmer and more inviting than ever before. She could not believe that she had almost made this moment not happen, her sordid past tempting and corrupting her even to this day. At that time, she reinforced her promise that no matter how bad things went, she would never, ever give in and indulge in the sweet pleasures of blood again.

"Why…?" a soft voice sounded, breaking the two of them out of the moment as Zerobi backed off from Lucario. Looking towards the cave's entrance, they saw Celebi floating in midair. She was breathing unsteadily, and there were marks of red underneath her eyes, clashing poorly against the natural green and brilliant emerald.

"Why did you have to endure all this on your own…?" Celebi asked with a pleading voice as she looked at Zerobi, "Why could I not have been given even a fraction of your curse, to help alleviate your suffering…?"

Lucario and Zerobi stared at her, and she felt the urge to cry creeping back into her. Forcing it down, she shook her head and moved forward slightly.

"I-I never knew what you had to go through…" Celebi stammered before bowing her head in shame, "… Sis."

"N-Never told you…" Zerobi replied shakily as she nodded, "… Sis."

The three of them looked at each for a moment, unsure on what to do. A strong wind set the mist into motion, the three figures within finally converging and becoming one.

"warmer and more inventing" more inviting I think is the word you were going for.

Anyway, really nice, touching chapter here, nothing really happened, but it's good to see all of them get their memories and actions off their chest. Celebii's reaction was a little over the top at first, but high strung emotion like that leaves the rational mind behind.

I wonder as to how things will proceed from here, it seems like everyone should just go home and enjoy their time together rather than go on a quest, but stuff needs to be done. I'm betting someone isn't going to continue on.

Looking forward to another chapter, please keep this excellent story going.

When this is over, do you plan on doing another one in the same universe?

Credit to Brutaka for the amazing banner and user bar. Yeah, having 2 is redundant, but it shows you guys my favorite pokemon, what story I had planned and my position in the WoJ.

Time, there's never enough of it but it's always there to waste.
-Azurus

Sors, I didn't reply.
Grrrrrrrrreat!
Them frosted flakes are a symbol of forgiveness.

I'm guessing word wise, we are at 70%

They say if you press cntrl and W you get to see the programming of a website after making a signature with 3 ws and 8qs
Fanfics I like that are still in production: Author's Run, Pokémon emerald the better version

I wonder as to how things will proceed from here, it seems like everyone should just go home and enjoy their time together rather than go on a quest, but stuff needs to be done. I'm betting someone isn't going to continue on.

Something big's about to happen... But I'm not heartless! I wouldn't tell you what it is and then leave you hanging for several months. When the story gets back on track, you can expect frequent chapters dealing with this newly arisen (and very, very exciting) situation.

Originally Posted by Azurus

When this is over, do you plan on doing another one in the same universe?

Not a chance, this is the last one. It's still far from over, at least.

Originally Posted by Rotomknight

I'm guessing word wise, we are at 70%

Can't be more than 60%... Unless I die before the story's finished, of course! Got to keep myself safe, or we might hit 100% sooner than expected!

No… Much longer than that. It's been a lifetime. My entire life has been a road leading up to this.

It is warm, but I'm not melting. The air is stale, but I can still breathe. The center of the Earth is surprisingly gentle… Or perhaps something within this tower is intentionally keeping me alive? If so, what is to become of me once I leave? Ah, here's the next one…

What lies at the end of time?

"There is no end of time," I answer, "Time and space bend into themselves."

It's moving aside! Hah, got it on the first try! Take that, teacher! Fail me in physics, will you…

Physics… I miss those. I wonder, could a place like this even be theorized? Who would have thought this indescribable, physically impossible violation of the senses has lying beneath the mantle of the Earth all this time? Where's all the magma?

Another Riddle. This place has more riddles than Rock Way had rocks. Damn, I hope that's not the riddle, "How many rocks does Rock Way have?" I might have to turn back…
Which is the shortest Pokémon?

"Joltik," I say as clearly as possible. No sense in angering some ancient god by not speaking up, eh?

No response. Oh great, it's going be another one of those…

"Azurill! Budew! Shaymin… The Land forme, you know?" I list up from memory, the sturdy glyph remaining as immobile as ever.

"Natu! Diglett! Cingli…" I keep going, but trail off as the passage in front of me suddenly cracks open.

… Diglett? Really? Huh. At any rate, these riddles are in dire need of being updated. After what I've been through to get here, it would really suck to get stuck on a technicality.

Ahh… How much longer can I continue?

There's no day… There's no night…

Haven't eaten in forever…

Really shouldn't be anything but whitened bones by now…

Something's keeping me going, for sure…

Come on… Be done, already…

Hmm…

This glyph… It looks strange. It looks really shiny and pristine, not ragged and broken like those old ones. And beyond it… What on earth is that? Is this… Am I actually getting close to the end?

Who are you?

"A man," I answer quickly, hoping with all my might that the glyph would disappear. It did not.

"Human," I continue, "A sentient being. Possessor of the consciousness."

Nothing's happening? Damn it, of course they'd save the hardest riddle for last. Oh, don't worry, I've got plenty of time… I just hope there isn't a limit for how many tries I get, like those damn Stadium preliminaries.

"A part of life?" I ramble on, the definitions of humanity all creeping into my skull, "Anti-Pokémon? I think, therefore I am? A miserable little pile of secrets?"

Nothing's working. Stupid… Who am I? How the hell would you know!? You didn't even keep yourself updated on which the shortest Pokémon is! It's obvious who I am, but even if I said it you wouldn't… Wait… Maybe…

"… Ethan?" I state my own name, and much to my surprise, the glyph disappears and a passage is shown.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Ethan looked warily at the new path. Whatever it was, it was nothing like anything he had ever seen before, constantly reshaping itself into incomprehensible visions through impossible motions. While he knew he had only gotten this far by being overly reckless, he thought it to be a poor idea to end his journey by being overly stupid. He reached out to try and touch it, noticing just how hairy his arm had gotten over the years.

His body seemed to be the only thing consistent in this abnormal world. Examining himself, he realized that he had barely lost a pound since entering, feeling a little let down considering all the strenuous work he had gone through. It was almost as if the past years had never happened, but the tatters and rags that were once his favorite set of clothes were a proper reflection of what had passed. He hoped a regal appearance was not a requirement where he was going.

It took him a moment to realize that he was now surrounded by the strangeness he had seen behind the glyph. He had not come to the passage quickly enough, so the passage had come to him. Ethan muttered, having hoped to take some manner of break before coming face to face with his target.

Suddenly, everything was starting to move. Hundreds of glyphs swirled past him as he sped through space and time. The feeling of a million particles poking him all over made Ethan shudder, and the vivid scenery which he could still not make sense out of made his heart palpitate.

At the end of it all, he could see a white creature. Everything began to slow down as the large being remained still, the world nudging the two of them closer to one another. It made no attempt to introduce itself, but Ethan knew without a doubt who it was.

"Arceus…" Ethan whispered to himself with both amazement and relief, slowly pointing his Pokédex forward. The high-technological encyclopedia bleeped once as it came to life, letting its metallic voice ring throughout the shapeless void.

According to the legends of Sinnoh, this Pokémon emerged from an egg and shaped all there is in this world.

"Heheh," Ethan snickered to himself, "How trivial. I suppose no mere description could match one such as yourself."

Ethan had seen very, very many peculiar works of nature in his time as a Pokémon trainer, but none had been quite as alien as Arceus. It stood on four legs and had a head at the end of a long neck, but every bit was as foreign as they possibly could be. Its legs were like spears that ended on feet as small as buttons, and Ethan knew they would be incapable of keeping balance in a world where physics prevailed. The head was long and slender, even more so than the neck it sat perched upon. If the back part was simply a nice hairdo or perhaps served as containment for its brains, Ethan did not know.

What caught his attention the most was a large star-shaped insignia attached to Arceus' stomach. It twisted itself to the side, and when it did all the white fur on the creature rustled and reformed itself into hard steel plating. Ethan barely had time to admire the now fully mechanical being before the star turned again, and the steel melted into glistening sweat, dripping off every edge and smelling like a gentle sea breeze.

"Ethan of man," Arceus suddenly spoke, "Know that I am no god of yours."

The voice was unlike anything Ethan had ever heard before. It was a mighty roar and a quiet whisper, invoking a sensation similar to that of when one hears a familiar piece of music played out of tune. It was a chirp from a Chikorita, a mutter from a Mismagius and a grunt from a Geodude all at the same time. Even so, there was not a trace of unease within Ethan, for he knew he had finally found who he had been looking for so long.

"You are Arceus," Ethan said and placed the Pokédex back at his ragged belt, refraining from rudely pointing too long at the mightiest Pokémon of all time, "You are what you are. Titles don't interest me."

"Alone, you have sought me," Arceus continued speaking, eyes unmoving as they suddenly shifted color from green and yellow to red and blue, "Alone, you have found me. Your desires are unclear."

"I have no intention of capturing you, or revealing your existence to the world…" Ethan responded, having spent quite a lot of time rehearsing what he was about to say, "I only ask for your assistance in a small matter of mine… Something only you can do."

Arceus stared at Ethan for a moment, its greenish body now sprouting plants and mushrooms all over. It was not the kind of stare that examined his appearance, but rather pierced right through him to determine what he was thinking and feeling.

"You are wise and have persevered," Arceus responded in an almost sad tone, "I shall heed your request."

Ethan smiled as he took a deep breath.

"Everything I know about Pokémon…" he spoke clearly, "… Make me forget it. Make it go away."

As difficult as it was to tell which manner of expression Arceus was wearing, Ethan had a feeling that his request surprised the ancient being.

"Why?" the old god asked, although there was not even a hint of curiosity present in the many voices it spoke.

"B-Because… Reasons," Ethan stammered, taken aback by the response, "You would care to hear the plight of a simple human? Can't you just make it happen?"

"No," Arceus said bluntly as his body shifted to a deep tone of black, the star around its stomach transforming into a complete void of light, "Prove that your wish is pure."

Ethan marveled at the Pokémon's display, realizing that Arceus was shifting between types at a whim. The idea that such ability would be far too overpowered for competitive battling crept into his mind before he cleared his throat and began to explain himself.

"In the beginning, Pokémon was but a fun game…" Ethan whispered while thinking back to his younger days, "I remember being so happy after receiving my first Pokémon… Defeating my first trainer… Winning my first badge."

His battle against Falkner was a memory that would never fade. It had been ferocious, no Pokémon to his name but a single Geodude and Chikorita. He had been forced to make do with what he had, and hung on by the skin of his teeth thanks to his own ingenuity and new discoveries about Pokémon. Comparing his humble beginnings to times not quite as distant, he found himself in possession of hundreds of Pokémon, all perfectly suited to combat any situation. The difficulty that had originally spurred him on had disappeared, and so had the excitement.

"I constantly fought stronger and stronger trainers in order to get a challenge…" Ethan continued as he wiped away a bit of sweat forming on his forehead, "But now, I've reached the peak. I'm the champion of the world. Now there is nothing left for me when it comes to Pokémon!"

Arceus remained silent, and Ethan wondered if the god even knew what he was talking about.

"Sure, I could go to a new region, find some new Pokémon, collect eight badges and beat the local Elite Four…" Ethan muttered before shaking his head and raising his voice, "… But I've done it all before! Several times! It will never be as exciting as the first time, so why bother!?"

He could not believe that this is where he had ended up. How could he have predicted that years after getting stomped by Whitney's Miltank, taking on Team Rocket with the help of Lance and facing the mighty Lugia in combat, he'd be wishing none of it had ever happened.

"What, this gym leader focuses on Electric Pokémon that are immune to ground-types?" Ethan grunted with an annoyed shrug, "Big whoop, I've already figured out 36 different counters, half of which I can pull off with Pokémon located right outside their doorstep. The Elite Four aren't challenging me anymore, I'm challenging them! Obsessing over a hobby like this… Is this the way life's meant to be? There must be more to it than this! How can I even dream of fulfillment when a single life is not nearly enough!?"

Ethan felt himself start to shake, finally being able to reveal what he had kept hidden to himself all this time. The pressure in the room seemed to be increasing, Ethan wondering if it was Arceus' doing or just his own waning strength. The god seemed unmoved as usual, but continued listening nonetheless.

"I've had enough of winning… I see no point in losing…" Ethan growled as he clenched his fists, "How long has it been since I felt defeat? How long has it been since I felt achievement…!? It's just an empty void now, one that has grown too big to contain and consumes my being! My head's so full of strategies, evolutions, movesets and type matchups, I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!"

As if on cue, Ethan felt the weight of his long travels hit him as his legs gave way, making him fall down to his knees. A sudden pang of sadness hit him, washing away his rage with regret.

"In the end, after all I did… I'm still nothing," Ethan wheezed as he lowered his head, "My Pokémon are stronger than me. My Pokémon are smarter than me. I'm just a simple brat with powerful friends…"

Keeping his head low in despair, a sudden smile cracked open on his face.

"… Hah… 'Friends'…" he muttered ironically, "I captured them and forced them to do my bidding in order to further my own ambitions. No matter how I look at it, my existence can only be holding them back from true greatness… Greatness I hoped to achieve one day, but never will…"

As much as he loathed frailness of his human body, he could not help but realize that the journey he had gone through would have killed him three times over if not for the sudden revitalization when entering the tower. He suddenly began to fret over his fate were he to ever leave it, but decided to keep pressing.

"Erase my mind," Ethan repeated while keeping his head low in a display of respect, "Cleanse it of everything involving Pokémon… I beg of you."

"I understand," Arceus finally said, a ripple causing its body to wave as if it were as hollow as the wind. At long last, it moved. It stepped towards Ethan with its long legs and on its impossibly small feet. Ethan stood up quickly, taken aback by the legendary's sudden decision.

"Wait, before that… While I'm here…" Ethan suddenly said as a thought hit him, "Could you… Make death an optional thing? Just for me?"
"No," Arceus replied, moving closer.

"R… Rid the world of disease?" Ethan stammered, taking in the imposing figure before him.

"No," Arceus repeated, moving closer still.

"There's, uh… No one higher up I can talk to about this, no?" Ethan whispered as Arceus was now directly in front of him, so close he could touch it. Not that he wanted to, seeing how the ancient being's body was now bubbling like lava and emanating enough heat to scald his face off. Hoping Arceus knew what it was doing, Ethan closed his eyes to shut out the final shred out doubt creeping into his mind.

In an instant, Ethan was overcome by the strongest feeling of déjŕ vu in his life.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

There he was, a little boy at the beginning of it all. A warm world full of smell and sensation. After much waiting and pleading, Ethan had finally been let in beyond the walls of Professor Elm's laboratory. Before his juvenile eyes stood a wide stretch of grass, trees and Pokémon beyond his wildest imagination.

"Amazing, is it not?" the young professor Elm boasted with a bright smile, "Not as big as Oak's, but size is not all that matters! This compressed environment allows me to study every step of Pokémon's evolution, which I use when continuing my work regarding…"

Ethan could not hear what the professor was saying, his heart pumping so hard he felt like he was going to faint from the pressure. A group of smaller Pokémon had spotted them and headed their way, Ethan trying vainly to take it all in as they stood and looked at him with curiosity.

Ethan knew, but could not help it. He had waited so long to get in there, and now part of him wanted to turn tail and run as far away as possible. His mind racing with conflicting wishes, something suddenly zoomed past his vision with blinding speed and grazed the top of his head, making him fall back in surprise.

Looking ahead, Ethan saw a slender, striped and fuzzy Pokémon running around in a circle. On its head was a very familiar black and yellow cap.

"Furret, no!" Elm chided, "That is not how we treat our guests!"

"Hey, that's mine!" Ethan yelled as he got to his feet, running towards the Furret who easily slipped out of the way. The other Pokémon were making mocking noises, obviously laughing at his plight.

"My mom gave me that, give it back!" Ethan pleaded as the Furret wiggled its butt at him and swiftly ran off, followed by the other Pokémon. He could not bother to give chase, feeling very weak in the knees. He had waited so long to be able to interact with Pokémon, and then they had turned out to be just as bad as the bullies he was trying to get away from. He sat down on the grass in defeat as Elm stood and scratched his head, not sure on what to do.

Suddenly, something bumped against Ethan's arm. Looking to his side he saw a Pokémon staring at his jacket, a Pokémon so small that he had missed seeing it up until now. Its green body blending well against the grass beneath, he would probably still not have been able to see it if not for the large leaf sitting on its head.

"Ah, a Chikorita! Perfect timing!" Professor Elm chimed with relief and gratefulness, "See? Pokémon are great, aren't they? You should definitively try to learn more about them, and one day you'll be a professor like me, both distinguished and a contributor within the…"

Ethan was not listening, focusing entirely upon the Chikorita next to him. He reached out and stroked its head which had a softly furry texture to it, feeling like pussy willow. Noticing his touch, the Chikorita looked up and stared at him with its glossy eyes, both tinted red.

"H-Hello," Ethan stammered, meeting the Pokémon's gaze. The Chikorita quickly leaped back and continued looking at him with wide eyes. He was not certain, but he got the distinct feeling that he had frightened it somehow.

"Oh, right, this one was born just recently!" Elm explained as he observed the Pokémon's behavior, "She's probably as curious about you as you are about her! Imagine that, Pokémon wanting to find out more about humans. Makes me wonder if there are Pokémon professor out there that are actually Pokémon… Hmm, I suppose they would call them human professors? Perhaps we could research…"

Once more Ethan zoned out as the Chikorita approached him carefully, the leaf on her head moving in the wind. He kept himself calm this time and held out his hand in a gentle gesture.

"Here," he said, suddenly noticing that he was smiling.

"Chiko?" the Pokémon chimed, looking at his arm.

"She… Cow?" he tried to emulate her, remaining as still as possible. The small Pokémon made no effort of moving closer, warily observing his arm as if it were to extend further and lash out at her. Ethan wanted to pet her again, but didn't know what to do.

"It's OK!" he said reassuringly, "I'm a grass-type, too!"

Leaning back, Ethan lay down flat on the grassy ground, stretching out his arms.

"She-Cow! She-Cow!" he called out, hoping he was making himself out to be a grass-type more than he thought, "I love grass!"

"It's pronounced Chi-Ko-Ri…" Elm started, but suddenly stopped himself. As unusual as that was, Ethan thought to look up to see why, when he suddenly felt a light weight tap down on his right leg. The tapping continued all the way up his body until he was staring at the Chikorita standing on his chest.

"Chiko?" she asked, obviously wondering what on earth he was doing.

"Chica!" Ethan tried to repeat, the small Pokémon stumbling as his chest moved and she lost balance.

"Ch-Ch-Chiko!" she stammered while trying to regain her footing.

"Ch-Ch-Chica!" he continued, causing even less stability as the Chikorita fell off him. Ethan quickly sat up to see that she had not been hurt. She had fallen on her back and seemed confused, looking up at him. A mischievous smile slowly cracked open the Pokémon's face as she wiggled to the side, before jumping up and tackling Ethan in the chest. He lost his breath as he was knocked onto his back again, the Chikorita eagerly jumping up and down on him.

"Ch-Ch-Chiko!" she stuttered as she tried keeping her balance more steady this time. In just a few moments she had fallen off, both of them laughing wildly.

"Alright, you're getting good!" Ethan said as the Chikorita climbed on top of him once more, "Oh yeah, I gotta get my cap back! Can you help?"

There was no response. The warm world of smell and sensation began to disappear as thousands of future memories piled up on one another. Years of Ethan's life flashed by in a second, each event causing Chica's happy laughter to trail off. Then, everything stopped.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

There he was, a grown man at the end of it all. Having just ditched the crowning ceremony that would have pronounced him the greatest Pokémon trainer of all time, he found that his victory over Brendan and Red was the last thing on his mind. Since the beginning of the day, he had been busy releasing every Pokémon to his name. Watching his once vast empire crumble was nothing compared to the pain of saying farewell to all his friends. Many had been reluctant, and so he had begged… Lied… Even used force to make them to go out on their own. He had long been preparing himself for this day, and even though the bulk of it was gone, the most difficult part still remained.

"Only you left…" Ethan whispered, tossing away the deactivated Pokéball. The sun was setting in the distance, Ethan sitting on a rock out in the wilderness. Next to him stood his longtime companion and lifetime friend Chica, now a Meganium with a worried expression belying her great strength. She was not so small anymore, rather quite a bit bigger than he was. He remembered all too well how she had once been barely a quarter of his size as a kid, walking around on his stomach or lying in his lap and dozing off.

"So… You can go now," Ethan muttered, having no idea on how to say what had to be said, "Settle down… Raise a family… All that."

Unsurprisingly, Chica looked at him as if he was insane, vehemently shaking her head in disagreement. She had also known this day was coming for a while, and was not about to give up so easily.

"Please, Chica… Try to understand…" Ethan whispered and sighed, "I've matured. I used to be so naďve, travelling the world, fighting and capturing anyone I could find without a second thought…"

Chica shook her head again and said something in return. Having spent so many years with her let him understand the gist of it.

"You're right, I never did want to catch 'em all…" Ethan said while thinking of his past reasoning, "I always told you about unwritten rules… That some Pokémon were better off left alone…"

Shame ran through Ethan, thinking about what he had done. Standing up, he turned his back to his old companion, not sure he could continue talking if her were to see her saddened face for one more second.

"But… I was wrong!" Ethan said loudly while clenching his fists, "They were ALL better off left alone! I shouldn't have captured ANYONE!"

An unmistakable gasp from behind told him this is not what Chica had expected. He had told everyone else lies before releasing them, keeping them in the dark as to not hurt their feeling. But Chica, his oldest and most loyal friend deserved to know the truth.

"I wanted more Pokémon, more victories, more badges, more money, more adventure, more recognition…" Ethan counted up wearily, "I dragged you all around with me and had the audacity to think… To think I was doing you a favor…"

His voice broke up with the last sentence, making him realize that he was on the verge of tears. His heart pounded quite hard, and he wondered why it was so painful to openly admit something he had been thinking for so long.

"Even you… My best friend…" Ethan continued, making an effort to keep his voice steady, "You were given to me! You had to be with me whether you wanted to or not, to do my bidding until the end of times! Of course you would… Try not to hate me…"

This time, Chica protested. He could tell her voice was growing hoarse as she pleaded and begged with him, the words lost to him but their meaning all too clear. He was able to pick up one thing she said - That he that he was the best thing to ever happen in her life.

"That's… That's because I owned your life…" Ethan said with a bit of struggle, "I'm everything there is to it… And what your life could've been… I stole that away from you!"

Forgetting himself, he did the mistake of turning around. Instantly he turned back, the vision of Chica's devastated and crying face burned into his retinas. His confidence wavered as he thought of how much pain he was causing his oldest friend. Through the blistering peaks of Mt. Silver, they had stuck together. Within the murky darkness of Rock Way, they had stuck together. In unfamiliar territories with enemies on every side, they had stuck together.

This time, Ethan could not stop his tears. He knew all of that had been a result of his ambitions, his journey. Had he even once followed her? Gone somewhere she wanted to go? Endured hardships for her sake?

"I-I forced you to follow me around wherever I went…" he stammered weakly with regret, "If… If only I had asked… Where you wanted to be…"

Everything around him felt cold and dirty. Crying like a fool, he started shaking. Shaking in fear of leaving everything behind. Shaking in disgust at himself for how he had treated his so-called friends. Shaking in rage at fate for placing him in this cruel position.

Two vines wrapped around him as Chica came up from behind and leaned against him. She felt warm, and quickly Ethan's shaking subsided.

"… It would not have made a difference…" Chica whispered, her words as clear as the moon reflecting in her tears, "I… Have always been where I wanted to be…"

Ethan turned to face her, a forced smile reaching between her wet cheeks. He wished to make out every detail of what he was seeing, but the memory was coming to an end and the world around him was losing focus. Returning to the shapeless void, Chica's final words echoed through his head…

Also I enjoy the Castlevania reference. I can see what Ethan is saying does make sense, but I don't think he has realized that his premise is wrong, especially considering the begging, pleading, etc. They grow to love you, even if you are acting selfish. Releasing them is hurting them more than anything. We saw with Chica and (Entei?) how they still held onto their old mannerisms and their memories with Ethan. I think Ethan was blinded by his train of thought to see this closeness.

The other stuff he said makes sense, but the premise he finally gave for releasing his Pokémon is wrong, in my opinion at least. Hopefully the Lucario version can learn that.

Relishing in the nostalgic sensation the flashback had brought, Ethan once more found himself staring into a shapeless void, the Arceus visible in the corner of his eyes. There was a strange familiarity to it all, as if he had been touched by ancient being many lifetimes ago. Before long he came back to his senses, testing out his memory while looking up at the old legendary.

"I…" Ethan whispered, the mental image of Chica still burning in his mind, "… Still remember…"

"The seed is planted. When you next sleep, it will sprout and the memories that haunt you will be gone," Arceus responded, now covered in sickly purple flesh that gave off an odor of rotting corpses. Before Ethan had time to complain, the star turned once more as Arceus floated back, its body cold and brittle like an icicle.

"You may leave now," it continued, Ethan having trouble telling if the unusual voice sounded pleading or demanding.

"Wait! Since I'm here…" Ethan exclaimed while holding up a hand, deciding to push his luck a little further, "Would you indulge me with the secrets of the universe… Perhaps what the meaning of life is?"
"That is not for me to say," Arceus replied immediately, "I am not your god."

"So you keep saying…" Ethan mumbled, his head hurting a little but his curiosity far from sated, "If you don't mind, then… What are you, Arceus?"

This time, Arceus' expression seemed to change a bit. Its eyes narrowed slightly as it moved its head closer towards Ethan, as if inspecting him.

"I won't remember what you said, if that's what you're worried about," Ethan hastily added. He wondered what the problem was, thinking it was a reasonable question that would help give him closure to his long journey as a Pokémon master.

"Truth…" Arceus said in a lower tone than before while staring at Ethan, "Knowing it changes nothing… Pursuing it causes misery… Yet everyone always demands it…"

A twinge of worry struck Ethan as he wondered why Arceus did not wish to reveal something of that nature. Maybe he was being tricked? Maybe he would not lose his memories after all? The legendary moved its head back, staring down at him as its eyes returned to their original shape.

"My kind is not of this world," Arceus began to explain, "In our world there were no animals or humans, only Pokémon. We Arceus were a species that evolved beyond the rest. Constantly growing stronger with each generation, we were even able to achieve immortality."

A shadow fell over the ancient being's face, and Ethan thought it had switched types once more. However, the star remained still.

"Having conquered death, we became so numerous and powerful that our planet's resources were simply not enough to support us all," Arceus continued as its eyes drifted beyond Ethan towards a far-off distance, "We did not realize this until our world was but a dead husk, and the other Pokémon we had grown alongside were doomed."

"So… What?" Ethan asked while scratching his head, the insides of which suddenly started to itch very badly, "You came here from space? Man, how many years did that take?"

Arceus continued staring into the distance.

"Too many," Arceus answered bluntly, "After destroying our home, we scattered throughout the universe in pairs, searching for new planets to occupy. Thinking we were alone in the universe, we had hoped to find a budding world… One we could use our powers to make sustainable… But when we at long last found Earth, it was already habituated."

After what seemed like an eternity, Arceus' gaze turned back towards Ethan, less inquisitive than before.

"Not by Pokémon. I am referring to your ancestors, human," Arceus continued, "In the oceans they crawled and floated, completely unaware of their tiny insignificance in the world. Seeking only survival, they selfishly preyed upon each other for food, facing strangers and brethren alike with fear and wrath."

Ethan suddenly felt guilty, like he was on trial and answering for the actions of a few trilobites and dinosaurs billions of years ago. He wondered if Arceus really saw no difference between him and them, fairly certain that had he been an ichthyostega he would have stuck around to listen to Arceus' tale. To his relief, the pain and itching in his head began to subside.

"We decided to change things," Arceus said, "We infused our powers into a chosen species of plants, letting them suck up enough nutrition from the sun and soil to be able to sustain the ecosystem… An alternative to devouring each other. They are what you now refer to as berries."

"Hate those things," Ethan blurted out, refraining from sticking out his tongue in fear of divine retribution.

"As expected. My kind lost our need for food many eons ago, and with it our sense of taste," Arceus replied and moved its head to the side, "Unsurprisingly, our gift was mostly ignored in favor of the endless genocide your kind raged. We gave up on this primitive and brutal world, secluding ourselves."

"And… I assume…" Ethan whispered as everything he had always wondered about was finally beginning to make sense, "… Made more Pokémon?"

"No," Arceus answered immediately, swiftly crushing Ethan's expectations, "The introduction of Pokémon into this world came from the berries. The creatures that evolved a taste for berries and regularly ate them received a sliver of our power. This power built up after countless generations and they began to liken us more and more, until their biological structure completely resembled that of Pokémon."

"So that's why they look like animals…" Ethan muttered while scratching his head again, "I always thought it was due to how good they were at adapting, survival of the fittest and all that…"

"Such was true for your ancestors… Those that loathed berries…" Arceus said, and without missing a beat lifted its head higher, "Now, you know everything. Are you prepared to return?"

"W-Wait!" Ethan stammered in shock, still trying to work out everything he had just been told, "But… You came in pairs? Where's your partner now?"

Lowering its head again, Arceus fell quiet. Like before, it seemed to be contemplating whether it should be revealing such information.

"I told you of how my kind was good at evolving…" Arceus said, its peculiar voice somewhat meeker than before, "… She has transcended into a being beyond even my comprehension. Among you humans, those who find residue of her existence refer to her as Missingno."

Ethan had never heard the name before, wondering how it might have eluded his vast knowledge. For a moment he felt rather peeved that he was leaving the world of Pokémon behind, seeing how such a valuable creature still existed. He could have captured her somehow and brought her to Arceus, who now seemed less omnipotent and more tragic than before.

"So you're stuck here, all alone…?" Ethan whispered with a shrug, "… You know, despite your insistence, we really do think of you as a god. If you were to show yourself, we'd be flocking to praise you, and do pretty much anything you want."

"Forgive me, but there is nothing your kind can offer me," Arceus responded with a slightly more amused tone to its voice. Ethan suddenly realized that after talking to the ancient Pokémon for so long, he was finally beginning to be able to pick out emotions and various nuances in the way it spoke. Whether it was him simply getting accustomed to Arceus or his experience at handling Pokémon proving itself to be useful, he was not sure.

"Surely there must be something worth seeing?" Ethan pressed on, eager to see if he could get another response to try out his newfound skill, "There are new generations of Pokémon popping up all the time. I mean, do you even know what a Chespin is?"

"This world must not know of my existence," Arceus said sternly, Ethan finding both seriousness and a hint of annoyance in its voice, "If you were to comprehend my power and wisdom, you will end up becoming like my race… And this planet will end up as mine did. Only by considering omnipotence an impossibility do you have a chance of surviving."

"Happiness in ignorance, eh…?" Ethan muttered, suddenly thinking of his own quest to forget all about Pokémon. Giving off a small grunt, he realized he was still stuck in the same endless vortex, trying to decipher Arceus' sayings. He had already reached the end of his journey. There was nothing more for him to be found. He knew he had to let go.

"Arceus… I'm ready to go back now," Ethan said, ignoring his own curiosity and will to continue talking. Before losing his nerve and getting struck by regret, he had to return to the real world where he was but a naptime away from fulfillment. He would be able to prepare a note explaining what happened, and wake up to a fresh new start of life in a warm sleeping bag.

The ancient being did not speak a single word of confirmation as it closed its eyes, the hazy world around them beginning to move. The incomprehensible void bent into itself and imploded, creating a darkness Ethan had thought impossible until now.

"Ethan of man… Should Missingno in all her unpredictability appear before you…" Arceus said calmly while looking at him with surprisingly gentle eyes, "… Do tell her that I long for the time when we shall meet again."

"Right," Ethan nodded with a smile, "I'll tell her that you can't wait to meet me again."

The two of them stared at each other for a moment. Arceus's eyes narrowed, nervousness coursing through Ethan as the darkness grew more intense.

"N-Not too old for a joke, are you…?" he stuttered carefully, holding his hands in front of him. Arceus continued staring as Ethan's bravery ran low. Before he could apologize or say anything else, the darkness had completely engulfed him, and the old god knew that the human would very soon be finding himself on the surface of the world he had left behind so very long ago.

Looking at the spot where the human had been, Arceus made sure every last molecule of him was gone. It would never have imagined a creature as frail as a human could have made it there, through the center of the earth and past the unforgiving trials. It worried Arceus, who wondered if maybe it had been too negligent as to allow humanity continued progress.

"The Human Species…" Arceus spoke quietly, "A peculiar breed. As remorselessly harsh as they are happily naive… Thinking so highly of their own lives while dismissing that of others… Focusing upon their carnal needs instead of what is truly important… Should they not be able to rise above it through self-awareness and will? Are they able, but choose not to? Already they are a threat to the world, and the end of their evolutionary line has yet to arrive. How many centuries until the Earth is not enough to fulfill their growing needs? They remind me so much of us… Would you not agree, my dear?"

Casting a glance to its side, Arceus remembered where its partner had stood for so many billions of years. Now, the spot was empty, and Arceus was once more reminded of its lot in life. The face of the one it loved as clear as ever, Arceus laid down and finally went back to sleep.

So now we get to the namesake of the story, pretty interesting I must say, though I wonder as to why Missingno (short for missing number) would be referenced here?
Anyway, I like the reference to 6th Gen there, though how Ethan knew about it already during his time down there when it only showed up a few days ago is beyond me.

Is this the end of the story? I really want to see how everyone handles the end of the war, because as it stands now, you have to imagine the ending.

Looking forward to a favorable response but any is nice. Keep up the good work.

Credit to Brutaka for the amazing banner and user bar. Yeah, having 2 is redundant, but it shows you guys my favorite pokemon, what story I had planned and my position in the WoJ.

Time, there's never enough of it but it's always there to waste.
-Azurus

So now we get to the namesake of the story, pretty interesting I must say, though I wonder as to why Missingno (short for missing number) would be referenced here?
Anyway, I like the reference to 6th Gen there, though how Ethan knew about it already during his time down there when it only showed up a few days ago is beyond me.

Is this the end of the story? I really want to see how everyone handles the end of the war, because as it stands now, you have to imagine the ending.

Looking forward to a favorable response but any is nice. Keep up the good work.

Ending? This is the beginning! Ethan is teleported back to Earth where he accidentally stumbles upon Deoxys and Mew. Don't worry, there's so much left to do before the ending that when it finally arrives it won't be anything you could have ever imagined.

As for Gen 6, it makes little sense that a hundred new Pokemon would just appear out of nowhere, so let's just say they were there all along. I'll save the POKEMON INVADERS FROM MARS explanation until Gen 7... Although there's no way the story will still be running by then!

This plotline is somewhat disjointed in terms of chronology (only just showing the event that started it all despite showing Ethan's first adventures as a Lucario and his transformation into one via Mew), which is rather enjoyable actually; the story somewhat reminds me of Pulp Fiction which is one of the coolest movies ever made.

So Missingno. is Arceus' long-lost love (in a sense)? Either way it's a very interesting idea.

This plotline is somewhat disjointed in terms of chronology (only just showing the event that started it all despite showing Ethan's first adventures as a Lucario and his transformation into one via Mew), which is rather enjoyable actually; the story somewhat reminds me of Pulp Fiction which is one of the coolest movies ever made.

For sure. Honestly, I don't think it would've worked any other way. I mean, let's say this was the first chapter. People would be going "Who's this? Why's Ethan such a goof? Is Arceus going to be a recurring character? Why should I care?"

Now it's more like "WHAT THE LUCARIO ACTUALLY MET ARCEUS AND WANTED TO HAVE HIS OWN MEMORY ERASED AND HE CARES FOR CHICA BUT THEY WON'T EVEN RECOGNIZE EACH OTHER THE NEXT TIME THEY MEET AND ETHAN'S LIKE 8 HOURS AWAY FROM GETTING KILLED BY DEOXYS THIS IS HIS LAST DAY AS A HUMAN OH MY GOD"

Morning arrived, and the starved vegetation was at long last reinvigorated by the the light of day, the mist of the previous night having completely disappeared. Like an evil spirit exorcised, Celebi, Zerobi and Lucario all sat inside the cave where they had been fighting not long before, now chatting civilly with each other while pretending that nothing had happened. Feeling obligated to unearth something of similar nature to Zerobi's revelation, Lucario decided to retell his past in detail, how he had woken up in a grave and encountered Ivy only to end up betrayed and hunted. He felt a little uneasy talking about the small penguin and unfortunate Combusken he had come across, but decided that none of his crimes even came close to what the icy dark-type had admitted.

"H-Hey! I don't want to hear that coming from you!" Lucario shouted defensively and immediately regretted having told her anything.

"… At least I never thought of grilling and eating someone!" Zerobi retorted with a disgusted tone. The two looked at each other, and despite the horrible subject of discussion they could not help but start laughing at the absurdity of it all. Celebi looked back and forth between them, suddenly not feeling quite so bad about her own mistakes in life.

"Hahaha! We're both saints, aren't we?" Zerobi laughed with irony as a sudden thought hit her, "Oh yeah, I still have to explain all this to Mew…"

They both felt silent. Zerobi exhaled quietly and looked down, idly gazing over her reflection in her claws. Warped and twisted as it was, it did not seem quite as bad as she was used to. She had never seen herself in this light as a Weavile before, thinking back to the lost innocence of her days as a Sneasel.

Celebi looked at her and tried to say something, stopping herself at the last second. A moment passed before she made another attempt.

"Sis…" Celebi said, her normally gentle and soft voice sounding hoarse and tired, "… You should not tell anyone else of your past. While the two of us have forgiven you, do not expect the same reaction from others."

"Mew? Yes. But everyone else…" Celebi explained slowly before lowering her head, "… I will not be there to protect you forever. For your own sake, I suggest you do not tell anyone else about this."

"Keep doing what I've been doing so far, then…" Zerobi sighed while cleaning off a speck of dirt from the tip of her claw, "Suits me. It's… Not something I enjoy talking about, anyway."

Feeling the heavy atmosphere return, Lucario could not wait to get out of the cave and finally leave all the drama behind. The fog outside had vanished, but it seemed both Zerobi and Celebi were still a bit too shaken up to want to get moving. At first he had thought it was just as well since they were still awaiting Mew's return, but something had not gone according to his expectations.

"Mew sure is taking long," Zerobi muttered, apparently thinking along the same lines, "Last time she did this, she was back in about three hours. I'm pretty sure it's been more than a day, already."

"Celebi… I'm still a little out of things," Lucario muttered with a defeated tone to his voice, "Could you… Confirm… What I'm sensing about Mew's aura?"

Celebi looked up at him, sympathy in her eyes. She had withheld talking about it for as long as possible, not wanting to burden him with too many bad news at the same time.

"I am afraid so," she said quietly, "Mew is most definitively moving away from us."

A deep frown formed upon Lucario's face. It was just like what had happened on the Seafoam Islands, and then again in No Man's Land. Not once, not twice, but three times had Mew purposely avoided him. He knew this was no longer all a coincidence. She could sense his aura after all; staying away from him would be an easy task if she wanted to. But for her to even ignore her childhood friend Celebi, just to make sure she did not have to meet him…

"I don't get it," Lucario groaned while clenching his fists in frustration, "She asked ME for help. Why's she treating me like the plague all of a sudden?"

"She… Asked for your help?" Celebi repeated, a curious expression crossing her face. Lucario and Zerobi both looked down at her.

"Mew is…" Celebi started, stopping herself when she realized they were both staring at her. She knew such hesitation was unbecoming of her, but her psyche still needed some time to recover from the earlier fight. Between that and getting shot just days earlier, she wondered if she was expecting a mental restoration that would simply never happen.

"… Mew fears dependency," Celebi said while shaking her head, making an effort of bringing back her confidence, "Neither of us grew up with parents, but she had Cresselia… And she never got over what happened."

Lucario vaguely recalled Mew mentioning Cresselia. He had stopped asking about her relatives after realizing it only brought up painful memories, because those that were not dead had abandoned her.

"She will attempt to handle the difficulties she faces alone, unless given no other alternative," Celebi continued and found it strange that she had never questioned her best friend's behavior before now, "Maybe she is avoiding you because she never really wanted your help, but cannot bring herself to say it? And… It… It seems we have company!"

Lucario wondered what Celebi had meant, but within the second he was able to sense it as well. It was the aura of two beings approaching from high above.

"Crap, forgot to suppress mine…" Lucario muttered, thinking that neither Celebi nor Zerobi were giving off an aura to trace, so those who were coming were looking for him. The sensation they gave off was unfamiliar and not too strong, but the fact that they were targeting him rarely meant something good was about to happen.

"Cloak!" Celebi exclaimed quickly as she nervously looked around the cave.

"Here!" Zerobi replied, picking up and sweeping the brown piece of clothing over herself. Celebi dove down and hid herself inside the hood, making the Weavile look like a deformed hunchback from the outside. Lucario nodded as the three of them exited the cave to meet the arriving threat. Looking up, they saw a strange silhouette coming towards them with the sun behind its back. Although the silhouette became clearer as it neared, that only served to make it less recognizable.

"… What the hell is that supposed to be!?" Lucario exclaimed in disbelief, not comprehending what he was looking at. It was painted in many wild colors and had multiple thin appendages that looked like wings, tentacles and claws all at once. Its body was completely spherical with a rather large crack in the middle, making it look like it was hiding inside of a split egg. Lucario had seen many peculiar things in his days, but none as utterly ridiculous and physics-defying as the bird now swooping down.

"I… Don't know…" Zerobi stammered in response, sounding just as surprised as Lucario, "Looks like one of my doodles from first grade."

"It is a Sigilyph!" Celebi whispered quietly from underneath the hood, her voice muffled by the cloth, "That upper eye is very effective! Do not let it get too close, or it might see me!"

"… UPPER eye!?" Lucario gasped and looked closer, trying to figure out what she was talking about. On top of the odd ball was an elongated appendage sticking out of a large tuft of white cotton. While he was busy thinking of where to start attacking, the bird slowly set down a few feet away from them, hovering slightly above the ground. Zerobi shuffled back as to hide Celebi when the tuft of white cotton detached itself from the Sigilyph's body, took on a life of its own and began to speak.

"Mr. Lucario!" it said impatiently as it moved towards them, "I bring you urgent news, as well as a request!"

"I-It talks!?" Lucario burst out with his vision hastily switching between the ball-bird and tuft of cotton, his mouth agape at the unorthodox display, "It knows my name and wants me to do something!?"

"You don't… Remember…?" the mass of cotton whispered, its voice turning gloomy in a second, "No… Of course… You were unconscious…"

"Psst…" Zerobi beckoned Lucario while trying her best to keep Celebi behind as many layers of cloth as possible, "That's a Whimsicott. He was riding that… Thing. You know these two?"

"No!" Lucario responded immediately, fairly certain that he would not be able to forget an esthetic abomination like the Sigilyph even if he wanted to. Two hands suddenly poked out of the ball of cotton, pushing the white fluff aside to reveal a small wooden figure underneath.

"Forgive my impertinent behavior, sir. I am here on Zoroark's behalf," the Whimsicott said sternly, remembering the urgency of his mission, "He is in extremely dire need of your presence. Please, follow us to our nearby hideout where we may… What was it called…? Oh, right! Establish communication!"

"… Yeah, right. Will that be before or after the trap is sprung?" Zerobi huffed suspiciously, recognizing Zoroark's name all too well, "We don't have Mew any more. Buzz off."

"No, wait," Lucario interjected while holding up a hand before crouching over to get a better look at the tiny being, resisting the urge to nuzzle up against the soft material surrounding it, "Listen… I'm glad to hear Zoroark's fine, but I've got my own things to worry about. How important is it?"

"Very," the Sigilyph stated flatly, its dull voice going unheard by everyone but Lucario and his acute sense of hearing. It sounded a little like a piece of paper fluttering in the wind, and had about half as much impact.

"Please, it is not far!" the Whimsicott insisted, unaware of what his partner had just said, "You must come with us!"

The Whimsicott's large, pleading eyes had little effect on Lucario, but he was curious as to what Zoroark wanted. Considering that they had come to an agreement the last time, he was fairly certain it would not be a trap, and he knew she had far more important things to worry about than him. Also, he figured it would be a lot more interesting than to go chasing Mew again, who he was starting to get quite annoyed with.

"All right," Lucario said with a nod as the Whimsicott's face lit up in relief, "Go on ahead, I can sense your aura. I'll catch up with you."

"Lucario… You want us to RETURN to the hideout of the guy who we're running from?" Zerobi asked while looking at Lucario like he was insane, panicked movement visible around the shoulders of her cloak, "My BACK is KILLING ME, if you know what I mean."

"Relax," Lucario replied calmly with a shrug, "I'll go in alone. I've got some loose ends to tie up with Zoroark, it shouldn't take too long."

"Meeting Zoroark?" the Sigilyph asked as the Whimsicott mounted it, the words going unheard once more by anyone but Lucario, "You lucky. I love. Zoroark is masculine, handsome man."

"That's…" Lucario mumbled before a sinister smile crept across his face, "… Yeah, HE's really MASCULINE! What a handsome MAN that Zoroark is!"

"You, uh…" Zerobi mumbled warily with a troubled expression, "… Notice those kinds of things about other guys?"

Zerobi and the Whimsicott stared at him for a moment, not saying a word. The Sigilyph took off as quietly as it had landed, heading in the direction of their next destination. The two of them followed as Lucario continued defending himself and his failed attempt at comedy; Celebi wondering when would be a good time for her to pop out and object to their current course of action.